Governor's Office of Appalachia | About

History
The Governor’s Office of Appalachia (GOA) was created in 1988 to promote economic development in the Appalachian region of Ohio through advocacy and financial partnership. Its formation came roughly 20 years after the creation of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in Washington D.C., when Ohio officials realized that Appalachian Ohio needed a central office to coordinate its economic development and partnership endeavors.

Under the Ohio Revised Code, the Governor’s Office of Appalachia was established to represent the interests of the Appalachian region in the government of the state. It is the role of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia to unite, assist, and represent Appalachian Ohio.

Mission of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia

The mission of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia is to support local, regional, state and federal initiatives allowing the people of Ohio’s Appalachian region to attain economic prosperity.

Overview

The Governor’s Office of Appalachia works with the Appalachian Regional Commission in Washington, D.C. and various local entities to promote the region’s assets and support initiatives that positively increase the economic activity of the region.

The Governor’s Office of Appalachia advises local groups and residents about possible funding sources and methods to address the issues facing the region. It acts as a liaison to connect people and resources. The Governor’s Office of Appalachia also helps set the direction of Appalachian Regional Commission funding within Ohio. Governor’s Office of Appalachia programs, such as the Area Development program, help stimulate economic activity in the Appalachian region by initiating business attraction and creating a campaign built on the success of entrepreneurship in the region.

 Other Governor’s Office of Appalachia programs include:
  • The Regional Initiative Program
  • The Distressed County Program
  • The Appalachian Regional Commission’s Federal Access Road Program
  • The Community Investment Funds
  • The Rapid Response Fund
Through programs such as Area Development, the Governor’s Office of Appalachia coordinates funding for projects that improve the quality of life of people living in Appalachian Ohio. These projects enrich Appalachian Ohioan’s lives by improving roads, improving water quality, providing green energy solutions, increasing available technology, improving communication infrastructure, and building the capacity of the region. With the help of the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Ohio Department of Development, and the four Local Development Districts of Appalachian Ohio, the Governor’s Office of Appalachia is dedicated to improving lives and ensuring that the people living in Appalachian Ohio are afforded the same opportunities as other citizens across the country.

About The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

The Appalachian Regional Commission is a regional economic development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state, and local governments. Established by an act of Congress in 1965, ARC is composed of the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and a federal co-chair, who is appointed by the president. Local participation is provided through multi-county local development districts.

 ARC funds projects that address the four goals identified in the Commission's strategic plan:
  1. Increase job opportunities and per capita income in Appalachia to reach parity with the nation.
  2. Strengthen the capacity of the people of Appalachia to compete in the global economy.
  3. Develop and improve Appalachia's infrastructure to make the region economically competitive.
  4. Build the Appalachian Development Highway System to reduce Appalachia's isolation.

Each year, the Appalachian Regional Commission provides funding for several hundred projects in the federal Appalachian Region, in areas such as business development, education and job training, telecommunications, infrastructure, community development, housing, and transportation. These projects create thousands of new jobs; improve local water and sewer systems; increase school readiness; expand access to health care; assist local communities with strategic planning; and provide technical and managerial assistance to emerging businesses. The Appalachian Regional Commission also manages a Highway program to reduce Appalachia's isolation.

Each Appalachian state receives a protected allocation of funds for projects that address the ARC goals. The Appalachian Regional Commission’s structure designates Local Development Districts in each state to have a meaningful role in establishing the priorities and implementing regulations associated with the funds. The Local Development Districts are also where grant applications originate. Ohio is the only state with a state level office (the Governor’s Office of Appalachia) that coordinates with the local development districts on these tasks.

All projects funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission are required to pay a 50 percent match of the cost of administering the program. Distressed Appalachian counties, however, are eligible for 80 percent funding, with only a 20 percent match. To learn more about county designations and their implications, visit the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Source and Methodology page.

Appalchian Regional Commission

About Appalachian Ohio

The Appalachia Ohio region covers a vast portion of the state. The 32 Appalachian counties stretch south along the Ohio River and as far north as Lake Erie. The region's infrastructure connects businesses in Ohio’s cities and townships with access to regional, national, and global markets.

The 32 Appalachian counties, designated as Appalachian by the U.S. Congress in the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965, were selected because they were part of a region that needed the opportunity to accommodate future growth and development. The counties also needed to demonstrate local leadership and coordinate planning so that housing, public services, transportation, and other community facilities would be provided.

The Governor’s Office of Appalachia is part of the effort to design a program compatible with the values and traditions of the counties in this region in order to enhance the quality of life for residents of the region.

Overall County Profiles

Below is a map of the Appalachian counties of Ohio.